Women seeking fertility treatments—and all women planning a pregnancy—should be vaccinated against both the seasonal flu and pandemic influenza A(H1N1), according to a joint statement from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Society for Reproductive Medicine.
“Fertility clinics should encourage patients planning pregnancy to be vaccinated for both seasonal influenza and 2009 H1N1,” the statement noted. Since certain areas of the United States may have the H1N1 vaccine available only for those in initial target groups—including women who are already pregnant or those who are caring for infants younger than age 6 months—some who are planning a pregnancy may have to wait until more H1N1 vaccine is available. Women planning a pregnancy can receive the seasonal flu shot at any time.
Women who are pregnant should receive the inactivated injectable vaccine for both the H1N1 and seasonal flu vaccines (not the live, activated nasal spray vaccine). Women who are planning a pregnancy and have no medical contraindications for the live, activated vaccine can receive either the injection or the nasal spray for both vaccines before conceiving, according to the statement.
Data have shown that pregnant women infected with the pandemic H1N1 virus have higher rates of hospitalization and death from flu-related complications, compared with the general population.
Visit cdc.gov/h1n1fluflu.gov